ECOWAS trains journalists in Sierra Leone to promote information integrity and combat fake news, misinformation and disinformation

Freetown, Sierra Leone – 26 September 2025. The ECOWAS Commission, through its Directorate of Communication, has conducted a two-day capacity-building workshop for journalists and media practitioners in Sierra Leone to strengthen information integrity and counter misinformation, disinformation, fake news, and anti-democratic narratives.

Organised by the ECOWAS Commission in collaboration with the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and supported by and supported by the Government of Germany, the training seeks to build a stronger, more ethical, and more resilient media landscape in West Africa.

The two-day workshop held on 25-26 September 2025, covered a wide range of practical skills including fact-checking, open-source intelligence (OSINT), digital security, conflict-sensitive reporting, peace journalism, and media and information literacy (MIL) strategies. Participants also explored how artificial intelligence can be used to track and analyse harmful narratives.

Declaring the workshop open on behalf of ECOWAS President, H.E. Dr. Omar Alieu TOURAY, the ECOWAS Resident Representative in Sierra Leone, H.E. Ambassador John AZUMAH, underscored the pivotal role of the media in shaping public perceptions and safeguarding democratic space.

“Journalists remain our first line of defence for truth and democracy. With your pens, microphones, and cameras, you influence how citizens understand the issues that shape their lives. This training is about forging a culture of integrity, accountability, and collaboration.” Amb. AZUMAH stated.

He highlighted ECOWAS’ Vision 2050, which rests on five pillars – Peace and Security; Enhanced Economic Integration; Strengthened Democratic Governance; Social Inclusion; and Sustainable Environment and Climate Action – all of which depend on a well-informed and ethically grounded media sector.

In his goodwill message, the Head of Cooperation at the German Embassy in Sierra Leone, Mr. Johannes BEHRENS, said “the training will provide insights to stop harmful narratives through fact-checking and media and information literacy—vital tools for fostering informed public discourse, safeguarding democracy in the region, and creating an enabling environment for the implementation of ECOWAS Vision 2050.”

Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of the ECOWAS National Office, Mr. Kelvin Kelley, Technical Adviser to the ECOWAS National Unit, emphasized the critical role of journalists as guardians of truth and democratic stability.

“Responsible journalism is not just about reporting events, but about fostering peace, unity, and resilience in our communities. This training empowers journalists to uphold accuracy, accountability, and professionalism in the media space,” he said.

In her reaction after the training workshop, a participant and Senior Reporter with New Age Newspaper and Salone Times, Sahr Ibrahim KOMBA, said, “The training has helped me to understand the tools use to fact check information before publishing. It also helped me understand how people especially politicians use disinformation to negativity influence opinion which led to polarization in society. It has broadened my understanding of Peace Journalism and Conflict-Sensitive Reporting, It further helped me to understand the principles of peace journalism, balancing objectivity with responsibility and how reframing conflict news stories are handled”

In his closing remarks at the end of the two-day training workshop, Ambassador AZUMAH stressed that training is a testament to ECOWAS’ unwavering commitment to supporting Member States and media professionals in promoting information integrity and combat the scourge of false and harmful narratives across the region.

The Country Director of GIZ Sierra Leone, Raphael FRERKING, reaffirmed their commitment to supporting ECOWAS in strengthening democratic governance, social cohesion, and sustainable development across West Africa.

“ECOWAS, its Member States and media practitioners all play vital roles in safeguarding information integrity and promoting democratic values. I want to reaffirm that GIZ, with the support of the German Government, remains committed to its efforts to strengthening information integrity across the West African region.” FRERKING said.

The media training   workshop in Sierra Leone followed successful trainings already held in Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire and Gambia reflecting ECOWAS’ commitment to scale up capacity-building initiatives across the region. At the end of the training program scheduled to take place in all Member States, journalists are expected to be better equipped to identify and debunk disinformation, protect digital security, and champion peace, democracy, and inclusive development in the region.